Elechtech Innovation Cluster - part two.
Electech’s approach has been successful, but it didn’t happen overnight. So what are the elements that underpin our work? First of all, communication and planning have been vital. Over several years, Electech has worked closely with local colleges and universities, assisting with curriculum development and offering T Level placements, among other activities. This helps students develop the skills that employers need, while promoting SME apprenticeships as a pathway to sustained employment. Crucially, as mentioned, we’ve also structured our programmes with dedicated mentoring, progression plans and support. This is carefully thought out in advance. There’s really nothing to gain by taking on an apprentice otherwise. Above all, collaboration has been essential. None of what we have achieved would be possible without working together.
Crucially, as mentioned, we’ve also structured our programmes with dedicated mentoring, progression plans and support. This is carefully thought out in advance. There’s really nothing to gain by taking on an apprentice otherwise. Above all, collaboration has been essential. None of what we have achieved would be possible without working together. Apprenticeships are just part of Electech’s work, but they illustrate how peer collaboration gets things done. Knowledge sharing, creating structure, jointly supporting businesses at different stages on their journey – all this creates opportunities that no single member could achieve alone. By pooling our resources, we’re ultimately creating greater workforce resilience and ensuring that young people in the region have access to skilled employment pathways that wouldn’t otherwise exist. evidence of what works on the ground.
A common myth within SMEs is that apprentices are cheap labour – but that’s the wrong attitude and it’s also untrue. Apprentices are not cheap labour but the senior leaders of the future, and they must be supported accordingly. If nothing else, it’s just good business sense.
This joined-up approach also gives us a voice in a market dominated by big players and lets us look beyond immediate skills shortages.
Together, we can now highlight the systemic issues holding young people back from the lack of Level 2 apprenticeships for those without English and maths, to the need for more government support for Further Education tutors.
Alone, these challenges would be too big to influence. Through the cluster, we can highlight them, backed by evidence of what works on the ground.
Our journey continues and we’re proud of our progress so far. Since 2020, Electech’s revenue has grown by 68% and employment by 11%. Apprenticeships and T-Levels are just part of this, but they show the tangible impacts of sharing resources and working together. Against competition from larger companies, we’ve shown that SMEs can be small but mighty – we’re developing talent, we’re strengthening our businesses. But most of all, we’re shaping the conversation about the future of skills in our region.
Written by
Kate Houlden (Managing Director, Like Technologies), Jayne Moorby (Head of Marketing, Oxley Group) and Chris Mayne (Managing Director, Teleplan Forsberg).